Peshawar

Islamia College, Peshawar, Pakistan.

Peshawar (Urdu:پشاور) which literally means a City on the Frontier in Persian, is the capital of Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). It is located at the edge of the Khyber Pass, which was a gateway to the regions of Pakistan and India for last several thousand years. Peshawar's location on the ancient Silk Route has made the city and Peshawar's hinterland a melting pot of many cultures. It has an ancient history and in the recent past, Peshawar was the last frontier of the British Raj and beyond this city lie the frontiers of Afghanistan and the lands of Central Asia. Peshawar is located an altitude of 347 m and has a beautiful climate. It was a vibrant city in the past, and it continues to be the political and cultural nerve center of the NWFP of Pakistan. In case, you a desire to see the most exotic cultural and social aspects of tribal Pakhtuns, and you want to see the historical heritage of an era gone by, you shall find that Peshawar has much to present to you as a visitor or as a tourist.

Tips for: backpackers • business travelers • luxury/exotic travel • hitchhikers • families • seniors • LBG travelers • pet owners

Hotels and lodging

• Green's Hotel Restaurant

Saddar Road., Peshawar, Pakistan

• Khan Club Hotel

Peshawar, Pakistan

• Pearl-Continental Hotel

Khyber Road, PO Box # 197, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan

• Rose Hotel

Shuba Khybar Bazar, Peshawar, Pakistan

• Tourist Inn Motel

G.T Road City, Peshawar, Pakistan

Attractions

In Peshawar

The city of Peshawar is is surrounded by high walls and has 20 entry gates though the expansion has blurred the traditional confines of the city. There are many lawns and parks reflecting the recent colonial past when the city was a part of the British Empire. At the same time, the city has many mausoleums and places of worship. The local museum has many relics from the ancient past like the archaeological remains of its Buddhist past.

Casket found in Peshawar 1908-9 contained 3 bone relics of Gautam Buddha

• Seeing and examining the displays at the Peshawar Museum is a unique exprience: you shall be transported back in time. The museum was established in 1907 to house the archaeological finds. The building is of red bricks consisting of a big hall and side galleries, two on the ground floor and the two on the upper floor. You will find many sculptures of Buddhas standing and in many other poses including Buddha heads. Apart from sculptures, there are many inscriptions, stone carvings, objects of daily household use, terracotta figurines and many items of antiquity - engraved gems, pottery, coins, ivory shells and so on. There is also sections in the museum displaying the objects associated with the tribal and Muslim times. An important discovery was a casket during an excavation in 1908-9 in the outskirts of Peshawar - it is known as the Kanishka casket and contained three fragments of the bone of Buddha. The British sent the bones to Burma for safer upkeep and they were enshrined in a Buddhist stupa in Mandlay, Burma.
• The Bala Hisar Fort
• The Mahabat Khan Mosque

Around Peshawar

Adventure tourism on Karakoram Highway

• The Karakoram Highway is an asphalt road connecting the Pakistan's capital Islamabad and Kashgar of Xinjiang province in China. The highway follows the traditional route of the ancient Silk Route through which the caravans traversed carrying on the trades between China, Pakistan, India, Middle East, and the Central Asia. The highway runs along the Indus river and passes through breathtaking and scenic mountainous regions, challenging geography, difficult terrain, and majestic sights. Traveling on the Karakoram Highway is like a rendezvous with the nature, a rendezvous with some of the great mountain ranges of the world: the Himalaya mountains, Hindukush, Karakorum, Kunlun and Pamir. The highway passes through the beautiful places like the Gilgit and the Hunza Valley. The best time to travel is during the months of September–October, and should be undertaken preferably in a group with the local guides. The assistance from the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation may also be taken to organize the tour.
• The Khyber Pass, connecting Pakistan and Afghanistan, is perhaps the most legendary pass of the East - it had witnessed caravans of traders and hordes of invaders, and still continues to be a strategic and important pass. At the same time, it is unmatched in its scenic beauty and offers much for the adventure tourists. It is advisable to contact local tourist office named Sarhad Tourism Corporation (that is, the Frontier Tourism Corporation, STC in short). Its office is located at Lower Court Building, Khyber Road, Peshawar (Pakistan). Before planning your itinerary to the place, you may also contact the main offices of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (Information Service) like the one located at Agha Khan Road, Markaz, F-6 (Super Market), Islamabad 44000, Pakistan: Telephone (+92-51) 9212760/ 9202766 & Fax (+92-51) 9204027/ 2274507. Sometimes, travel restrictions may be in force and so it is always better to contact the local tourist offices of the Government of Pakistan.

Shopping

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Maps and transportation

Getting to Peshawar

Roads & Railways

Good roads including the famous Karakorum Highway connect Peshawar to major cities of Pakistan like Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Multan and Faisalabad. The roads also lead to the borders of China and Afghanistan. The Pakistan Railways connect the city with many parts of Pakistan and even provided a rail service to Afghanistan.

Air Services

Major Airlines of Pakistan, Emirates and Qatar Airways provide regular flights to Peshawar from major cities of Pakistan, and even to some destinations to the Gulf. From the Gulf, regular flights are available for many European cities.

Practical information and resources

• Temperature Data:

Peshawar temperatures	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg. high (in °C)	17	19	24	29	37	41	39	37	36	31	25	19
Avg. low (in °C)	4	6	11	16	21	25	26	26	22	14	8	4

• Currency: Rupee (PKR)
• Major Language: Pashto, Hindko and Urdu, though many other languages like Sindhi and Punjabi are also spoken and understood. You may manage with Simple English.
• Time zone: PST (UTC+5:00)
• Calling code: +92

Nightlife

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Photo gallery

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A view of Khyber Pass

Everything else

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External resources

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• Peshawar Pictures - A Collection of Pictures Showing the Peshawar Society